Case Study

The Rockwall Independent School District (ISD) encompasses five communities in Rockwall and Heath, Texas, and is located about 23 miles east of Dallas. One of the fastest growing school districts in the state, Rockwall ISD each year educates more than 12,000 students in grades pre-K through high school.

Challenge: Handling Increased Reporting Requirements Through Improved Technology and Processes

Mike Singleton, chief financial officer of the Rockwall ISD, joined the district in February 2003. He says he had not been on the job too long when he realized the district was going to have to make some changes with its software and technology capabilities. "It took me about a year or two to get a feel about where we needed to go. Then in the fall of 2004 we started to talk about what we wanted to do as a district and what we wanted our software to do."

As a fast-growth district, Singleton says Rockwall ISD had basically outgrown its software and that the technology had not kept up with current standards. "We knew that in the future we were going to have some additional reporting requirements, so we started to look at what the different options were. We wanted something that was flexible, that was more current and up to date with technology, and that could handle the specific reporting requirements for Texas."

When Singleton and his team began their research on different software options, they soon discovered that the district's curriculum and instruction staff were having similar discussions. "We then joined forces and as a committee began to look for a product that could handle both the financial and the student management sides. We thought it would be beneficial to have both of these programs from the same vendor."

Solution: Skyward's School Management System Software

After an extensive review process, the committee made a presentation to the district's board of trustees, recommending Skyward's School Management System software. The board approved it in August 2005 and implementation formally began in April 2006.

Early on during the implementation, Singleton says the committee worked with Skyward in modifying the selection of applications in the School Management System to better meet the district's needs. "We changed as we went along. As we got into it, we added some areas and took out others. We also changed some of our training and internal processes as we went along."

The implementation of the financial management part of the system, the School Business System, was completed in September 2006. Its modules include Budgetary, Payroll, FastTrack Fixed Assets, Insurance Tracking, Inventory, Salary Negotiations, Substitute Tracking and Employee Management.

The implementation of the student part of the system, the Student Management System, was completed in January 2007. Its modules include Student Records, Attendance, Demographics, Current Year Scheduling, Discipline, Grading, Graduation Requirements, Health Records, Next Year Scheduling, Teacher Gradebook and Family Access.

Singleton says the implementation of the system overall was a resounding success. "We dedicated a lot of our resources and staff time to make sure the process would go well. We spent a lot of time preparing to learn the system. The Skyward people were right there with us, helping to guide and direct us through the implementation process."

In commenting on the School Management System specifically, Singleton says that what really made the difference was "the total package." As opposed to any one single module or feature, it was the complete, overall system itself with its integrated functions that was critical.

Benefits

In assessing the full impact of the School Management System related to direct or verifiable cost-savings, Singleton says it's still early in the process. Nevertheless, he's able to point to several benefits that he's observed so far.

"One thing that's been a surprise is that the implementation has forced us to review and examine our internal procedures very critically," Singleton says. "We've had to look at ourselves to determine if we're operating in the most efficient way. We've had many meetings to be sure about who is doing what. The result is that we're now seeing some very positive results."

Because of the new system, Singleton says that he and his staff are working with greater efficiency. "With the added capabilities we now have, we're able to get more done in the same amount of time. Overall, we‘re working much more efficiently than we used to."

Singleton says the district's expertise continues to evolve in using the new system. "We're still seeing that there is room to grow, and this will help us in our reporting to the public."

Singleton adds that communication has also improved, especially with the Student Management System. As a result of the implementation, the district now enjoys easier and more effective communication with students and parents regarding grades, attendance and other areas.

Finally, Singleton says he's observed some intangible benefits that have resulted from the School Management System and related organizational changes. "I'm now seeing people take greater pride in their work. We have a more professional atmosphere."

Conclusion

In looking at the benefits of the Skyward School Management System for the district, Singleton is extremely positive. "We're very pleased with the product, and we've been very pleased with the implementation. Skyward delivered on everything they said they would."

Singleton adds that Rockwall ISD has benefited from continual follow-up from Skyward since completing the implementation. "We've developed a very good, close working relationship with Skyward. We're looking forward to continuing our relationship with them in the future."